Machines for making mop swabs



G. M. BARR MACHINES FOR MAKING HOP SWABS Original Filed Feb. 6, 1957 7 Oct. 15, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR GEORGE M. BARR ATTORNEY$ Oct. 15, 1963 G. M. BARR 7 3,107,124

MACHINES FOR IIAKING IIDP Original Filed Feb. 6, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR- csoncz u. mm?

ATTORNEYS llnited States atent 3,107,124 MACHINES FOR MAKHNG MOP SWABS George M. Barr, Millidgeville, St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, assignor to F. S. Simms & Co. Limited, St. John, New Brunswick, Canada Original application Feb. 6, 1957, Ser. No. 638,498, now Patent No. 3,027,198, dated Mar. 27, 1962. Divided and this application May 5, 1961, Ser. No. 110,603 4 Claims. (Cl. 300-21) This invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing mop swabs, particularly dry mops, and is a division of application Serial No. 63 8,498 filed February 6, 1957, now United States Patent No. 3,027,198.

At the present time, mop swab machines are used which produce a plurality of half or single mop swabs in a row, each containing about eight to ten rows of stitches, the single swab-s being joined together and spaced by the stitching threads and then pinned together with a single or double tape between. They are then sewn on the sewing machine, resulting in a completed series of mop swabs. This type of machine is somewhat cumbersome and slow since it takes approximately four hours to set up the machine for operation, it requires about four times the floor space which is necessary and it takes about three times as much time to produce mop swabs than is necessary.

The present invention obviates these disadvantages by providing a new method which may be employed to produce mop swabs much faster than heretofore and which may be brought into operation in much less time than has been the case in the past to produce as much as three times the volume heretofore possible.

It is therefore a main object of the invention to pro-.

vide a simplified method of manufacturing mop swabs through which a large production will be achieved, using much less space for production and which requires less time and attention.

According to the method, a continuous length of mop yarn is wound from around a form to create a two-ply swab body of superimposed strands of yarn; a tape is interposed between said plies, extending across the strands of the swab body and sewn to said strands to unite them as a swab body, and the yarn strands are out between said plies at the margins of the swab body to form a two-ply mop swab. Preferably, the form employed is a movable form embodying spaced apart movable elements designed successively to form a series of swab bodies, each intermittently spaced from the next while the tape is simultaneously sewn and the marginal edges of each swab body are cut as the tape is sewn. Cutting of the tape and intervening lead strand of yarn between each body produces the final mop swabs.

The apparatus preferably employed for carrying out the method generally embodies a rotatable yarn carrying element, a movable swab form including a pair of spaced apart parallel members around which the yarn is to be wound, one end of said elements overlapping a portion of said yarn carrying element in spaced relation thereto, means for rotating said element about said end of the form to wind a continuous strand of yarn spirally around the latter, means for operatively moving said members in a direction away from said yarn carrying element in timed relation to the rotation of the latter, causing said yarn to wind spirally to form a swab body of two plies, means for applying and securing a tape t said swab body between said plies and between said parallel members of the movable swab form simultaneously with the formation of the swab body and means for simultaneously cutting the swab body at its side margins at the edge of the form, as said tape is secured, to separate the plies and form a mop swab.

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The apparatus preferably includes a means for intermittently moving said yarn carrying element in an axial direction relatively to the swab form to space the winding strand of yarn from the swab body finally formed and to cause said yarn to wind a succeeding swab body and successive swab bodies on the form.

The invention will be clearly understood by reference to the following detailed specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective assembly of the main operative elements of the machine in co-operating relationship; and

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational detail of the control mechanism for spacing one swab body from the next.

FIGURE 3 is a schematic side view showing the tape arrangement.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the main elements of a mop swab making machine according to the present invention which employs a movable mop swab form B around which the yarn is wound to form a twoply swab body, a rotatable yarn carrying element C cooperating with the form B and designed to rotate around the mop swab form to produce a mop swab body and successive mop swab bodies, each finally forming a mop swab.

The machine employs a driven shaft 10 which, at one end, carries the bevel gear .11, meshing with bevel gear 12, which is mounted on and drives the vertical shaft 13. The spur gear 14 is also [carried on the shaft 13 and meshes with the ctr-operating gear 15 mounted on and driving the vertical shaft 16. The shafts 13 and 16 carry at their upper ends, the sprockets 17 and 18 and horizontally aligned there-with and suitably mounted on idler shatfts carried on the machine frame are the sprockets 19 and 20 which, with the (to-operating sprockets 17 and 18 respectively, mount the endless chains 21 and 22 which constitute a pair of spaced apart parallel members jointly constituting the movable swab form B. These travelling endless members 21 and 22 are, as shown, mounted so that each is disposed completely in the same plane as the other and they are designed to travel in opposite directions so that the outer reach 21a of the member 2;], and the outer reach 22a of the member 22 travel in the same direction while the inner reaches of each 21b and 22b respectively, travel in the same direction. The outer reaches, however, are the active operating components of the swab vform, as will hereinafter be appreciated.

The inner end of the swab form B is designed to overlap the inner end of the yarn carrying element C in spaced relation thereto to permit winding of the yarn by the yarn carrying element around the movable form B.

The yarn carrying element generally takes the form of a U-shaped member 23 rotatable and symmetrical with respect to the chains 21 and 22 and including an arm 2-4 (the crossbar of the U) extending at right wgles to, and on both sides of, the rotatable axis to a diameter of greater than the spacing of the outer chain reaches 21a, 22a. The arm 24- of tubular aluminium is bent at each end at substantially right angles to form arms 25a, 25b (the uprights of the U-shaped member) extending to overlap for a substantial extent the adjacent ends of the chain reaches 21a, 22a. The arm 24 is mounted for rotation on hollow shaft 46 which is discussed hereafter. Slidaible in the tubular shaft is a second tube 30 adapted to carry the mop swab yarn. The tube 30 extends inwardly to arm 24 where it is pivotally joined to a tubular member 31 at 106 in such a way that the yarn may be led from tube 30 to tube 31. Tube 31 extends across the length of arm 24 and is pivotally mounted at one end 104 of such The other end of tube 31 is approximately located on the axis of arm 25a is pivotally connected to a tube 32 at 192 in such a way as to allow travel of the yarn up tube 31 and into tube 3 2.

Tube 32 extends along the inside of arm 25a to project from the free end thereof and is slidably mounted on the arm adjacent such free end in a bearing 27. The projecting end of tube 32 is provided with a beaded end 28 suitable for feeding yar-n.

The end of tube 311 remote from pivot point 106 is open to allow the yarn Y threaded into tube 30 to be led from yarn cop 33.

It will be noted that the operational parts are housed in the arm 25a. In case it is not obvious, it is pointed out that the purpose of the symmetrically disposed arm 25b is to balance the arm 25a and thus to provide smooth, balanced rotation about the axis 46.

The driven shaft employs the drive pulley 34, which, through the belt 35, rotates the variable speed driving unit 36. The unit 36 in turn, through the belt 37, operates the pulley 38 on the shaft 39, which carries the bevel gear 40 designed to mesh with the corresponding gear 41 on shaft 42 carrying pulley 43. Pulley 43 is designed through the belt 44 to drive pulley 45 which is rigidly connected to the hollow shaft 46 of the arm 24 of yarn carrying element C. Thus, the rotation of the yarn carrying element may be varied as, for instance, to make each mop swab body more dense or less dense, as may be required. Hollow shaft 46 is suitably mounted on bearings 140.

Assuming that the movable elements 21 and 22 of the swab form B are operating and the yarn carrying element C is rotating, it will be apparent that the lead strand of the continuous length of yarn emerging from the free end 28 of the yarn tube, if engaged with the outer reach 21a of movable member 21, will cause the yarn to commence to wind around the end of the mop form B which overlaps the yarn carrying element and that as the outer reaches 21a and 22a of the members 21 and 22 travel away from the head of the yarn carrying element C, the yarn wound around the form B will be wound spirally and to a greater or lesser density, having regard to the relative speed of rotation of the yarn carrying element C. In this way, a swab body D is produced on the form B.

As the swab body D is being produced on the form B, a tape 46a is fed from spool 47a below the form B to a pulley 103 located adjacent the axis of shaft 46 and between arms 25a, 25b. The tape is led over this pulley, and between the upper and lower plies of the swab body being formed, and this tape is secured to the swab by means of a suitable sewing machine, the stitcher 48 of which is shown. The tape is stitched by a spaced double row of stitches 49 to the forming strands of the swab body thus to unite said strands as a swab body, which operation is continuously carried out as successive swab bodies are continuously formed. Preferably two tapes are employed, 46a and 46b as referred to hereinafter.

Simultaneously a tape 110 is fed from a spool 112, located above the plies and adjacent the yarn carrying element C, outside the convolutions and preferably along the top of the plies to beneath the stitcher 48. A bar 114 extending across the top of the plies and below spool 112 is provided with a slot 116 through which tape 110 passes on its way to stitcher 48. The control of the bar 114 determines whether or not the tape 110 passes under the stitcher 48. This tape 110 is used as a tie tape and is only :attached at spaced locations adjacent and overlapping each end of the mop swab and between said swabs by the proper operation of the bar 114. The attachment of such .a tie tape was formerly a separate operation, but by this :invention is now a part of the manufacture of the mop swabs per se. The operation of the bar 114 is discussed hereafter.

Simultaneously with the sttiching of tapes 46a, 46b and 119 to the strands of a swab, the strands of the swab body are cut a the r Side margins at the edge of the form to separate the plies of the swab body to form a mop swab. This is accomplished by means of the rotatable cutting discs 56 and 51 mounted on the vertical shafts 52 and 53 respectively, the shafts being provided with the pulleys 54 and 55 respectively driven by a belt 56 from the drive pulley 57 of a motor 58. The shafts 52 and 53 are rotated in opposite directions and the cutting discs 59 and 51 rotated thereby, engaging the yarn strands at the marginal edges of the form so that immediately following the stitching by the stitcher 48, the margins of the mop body are simultaneously cut. Consequently, just after the completion of the stitching of a swab body, the final strands of that body are cut finally to form the complete mop swab except for its final separation from the connected group of swabs formed by the machine, which is effected afterwards by cutting the tapes 46a, 46b and tie tape and by cutting intervening lead strands between adjacent mop swabs.

It will be noted that as the marginal edges of each swab body are cut by the cutting discs 50 and 51, the strands of the mop body are placed under tension by means of the idler disc 50a carried on the horizontal shaft 51a which is suitably supported from the frame of the machine above the mop form B. The lower edge of the disc 50a is designed to be disposed on a level slightly lower than the level of the upper ply of the wound yarn strands of the mop body so that they are therefore tensioned at a point between the cutting discs 50 and 51. Consequently, a very precise cutting of the marginal edges of the forming swab body is achieved.

Formation of each swab body and successive swab bodies is controlled by automatic spacing of the winding yarn as soon as a predetermined size of swab body has been formed. This operation and the controlling mechanism therefor will now be described. a

A bevel gear 59 is mounted on the lower end of the vertical shaft 16 and meshes with bevel gear 60 keyed to the horizontal shaft 61. Shaft 61 is the input shaft of speed changer schematically represented at 120. A single indent cam 124 is mounted on shaft 122 which is the output shaft of the speed changer. Mounted also on the shaft 61 is cam wheel 126 whereon the cam surface is helical with a single step down in the cam periphery.

A lever 128 extends from the vicinity of hollow shaft 46 to the vicinity of cam wheel 126 and is pivotally mounted at 130 therebetween. The lever has at its cam wheel adjacent end a coaster wheel 132 adapted to roll on the cam surface of wheel 126. A tension spring 134 suitably anchored at 136 biases the lever against cam wheel 126.

A pair of spaced rings 1'38 rigidly mounted on shaft 46 between wheel 45 and the cop-adjacent end of the shaft, form a pair of guide shoulders for the bifurcated extremities 142 of lever 128 whereby the shaft 46 may be controlled in axial position by the movements of the lever 128-.

A plunger biased upwardly against the single indent cam 124 is allowed an upward and downward travel in the indentation for each rotation of the shaft 122. Plunger controls a hydraulic pressure source schematically represented at 152 the source being connected by a pair of lines 154 to opposite ends of piston cylinder 156. To the piston (not shown) in cylinder '156 is attached a shaft 158 which is connected to and actuates the bar 114 to cyclically control lateral location of tape 110 through slot 116. Thus on upward movement of plunger 150 as shaft 122 rotates the hydraulic source acts to move the bar 114 so as to align the tape 110 with the stitchers 46a and 4612 so that tape 110 is at that point within the range of operations of securing means 48 for stitching to the remainder of the tape and to the mop swab. On the succeeding downward movement of plunger 150 the cylinder is then actuated to move the bar 1 14 to again disalign the tape 114 from the stitcher 4-8 and therefore to move it outside its range of operations.

The operation of the device is as follows: under the ultimate actuation of shaft it the outer reaches 21a, 22a of chains 22, 22 progress awa yfrorn the yarn cop 33. Under the ultimate actuation of shaft 14) the arm a rotates above one end of the chains 21, 22 and yarn from the cop 33 is fed from the beaded end 23 of tube 32 to be wound around the chains 21 and As this swab winding process continues, shaft 22, under the ultimate actuation of shaft 1%, rotates earn 12d and cam wheel 126.

As the arm 25a rotates, the simultaneous rotation of cam wheel 125 gradually moves lever 12% against the bias of spring 134 whereby bifurcations 142 moves rings 13% and tube 3% in the direction of travel, such direction being the outer chain reaches herein referred to for brevity as the travel direction. The movement of tube 3%) in the travel direction moves pivot point we in the same way, rotating tube 3i counter clockwise about its pivot point 1%. Such rotation moves tube in the travel direction and with it the yarn feed end 28.

Thee above movements take place gradually as cam wheel 126 rotates. The extent of movement of end 28 is adapted to lose ground slowly to outer reaches 21a, 21b so that succeeding turns are wound at proper spacing onto these outer reaches which provide a mop swab form.

The rate of rotation of wheel 125 is adjusted through speed control 12% so that suificient turns of yarn for one mop swab are wound on the reaches for each revolution of wheel 126. 7

When the step On wheel 126 contacts level wheel 132, the lever is rotated clockwise under the impulsion of spring 134, the yarn carrying linkages therefore reversing suddenly their movement and yarn feeding tip 28 being suddenly retracted in the direction opposite to the travel direction creating a space, as shown, between the adjacent turns of succeeding mop swabs.

During the above operation cam 124 is also rotating at the same rate as wheel 126, the indent thereon contacting the plunger 154) just before retraction of the feeding tip 28 and going out of contact just after such retraction. Thus the hydraulic source 152 during such contact actuates bar 114 to move the tape 110 under the stitching head 48 to be stitched to the swabs and to tapes 46a and 46b, at the end and at the start of each mop swab.

The length of a mop swab is controlled by speed changer 120 which fixes the relative speed between chains 22 and cam 124. The number of turns per mop swab and the spacing of the mop swab are controlled by speed changer 36 which fixes the relative speed between chains 22 and shaft 46.

In this manner therefore, a series of swab bodies is intermittently formed in a continuous operation as the yarn tube 32 is intermittently moved rearwardly to effect spacing between the swab body being formed.

As each swab body commences to move oi the endless elements 21 and 22 of form B, it passes over the discharge roller 79 which is mounted on the horizontal shaft 80 which in turn is rotatably journalled in suitable supports 81 carried on the frame of the machine. The shaft 89 is rotated by means of the large sprocket wheel 82 which is driven by means of the endless chain 86 in turn driven by the sprocket 84 carried on the drive shaft 1%. The chain 83 passes round a suitable idler sprocket 85 mounted in any suitable manner on the frame of the machine. Accordingly, the rotating discharging roller guides the series of the inter-connected finished swab bodies from the machine to any suitable receiver and the final operation consists merely in cutting the connecting tape including tie tape 110 in between the spaced apart swab bodies as well as the lead strand of yarn connecting between the spaced apart swab bodies, thus to form individual completed mop swabs and it is only necessary to utilize the tie-tape 110 for securing the swabs on a mop mounting. It might be noted that the m in body tape 45a can be applied as a single or double tape.

The use of spaced double stitching provides between the tapes 46a and 46b and the mop swab a socket for the insertion of a wire or the like of the mop mounting.

To provide an irnproved socket to so receive a wire or the like of the mop mounting, the preferred embodiment provides a second tape 46:) which is led, from a spool 4% adjacent spool 474:, along the same path as tape 46a to supply, with the latter, a double ply tape. The double ply tape, when the mop swab material is sewn thereto by spaced double stitching, provides between its layers a socket for the insertion of a wire or the like of a mop mounting.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that by means of a reasonably simple type of mechanism, the simple method of forming mop swabs, is readily carried out and it can be appreciated that mop swabs can be produced very fast with a machine that will not require a great deal of floor space.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A method of manufacturing mop swabs which comprises: helically winding 2. continuous length of mop yarn around a form to create spaced two-ply swab bodies made up of strands of yarn disposed closely substantially side-by-side, interposing a tape between said plies as they are formed, said tape extending across the strands of said swab bodies, sewing said tape to said strands as said swab bodies are forming progressively to unite said strands as swab bodies, placing the strands of the formed swab bodies under tension and simultaneously cutting the strands between said plies at the side margins of the swab bodies following the sewing of said tape to said strands and subsequently cutting the tape and the lead yarn extending between each swab body.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 with the added step of placing a second tape across said plies outside said strands and simultaneously sewing said second tape to said strands and to said first mentioned tape only at spaced locations adjacent each end of said swabs and between said swabs.

3. A method of manufacturing mop swabs which comprises: helically winding 3. continuous length of mop yarn around a form to create spaced two-ply swab bodies made up of strands of yarn disposed closely substantially sideby-side, interposing a pair of juxtaposed tapes between said plies, as they are formed, said tapes extending across the strands of said swab bodies, sewing said tapes to said strands by means of two spaced rows of stitches as said swab bodies are forming progressively to unit said strands as swab bodies and to provide a longitudinal socket within each of said swab bodies, placing the strands of the formed swab bodies under tension and simultaneously cutting the strands between said plies at the References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,242,444 Altenbern et al; May 20, 1941 2,351,546 Rogers June 13, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 131,874 Australia Sept. 16, 1948 

1. A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING MOP SWABS WHICH COMPRISES: HELICALLY WINDING A CONTINUOUS LENGTH OF MOP YARN AROUND A FORM TO CREATE SPACED TWO-PLY SWAB BODIES MADE UP OF STRANDS OF YARN DISPOSED CLOSELY SUBSTANTIALLY SIDE-BY-SIDE INTERPOSING A TAPE BETWEEN SAID PILES AS THEY ARE FORMED, SAID TAPE EXTENDING ACROSS THE STRANDS OF SAID SWAB BODIES, SEWING SAID TAPE TO SAID STRANDS AS SAID SWAB BODIES ARE FORMING PROGRESSIVELY TO UNITE SAID STRANDS AS SWAB BODIES, PLACING THE STRANDS OF THE FORMED SWAB BODIES UNDER TENSION AND SIMULTANEOUSLY CUTTING THE STRANDS BETWEEN SAID PILES AT THE SIDE MARGINS OF THE SWAB BODIES FOLLOWING THE SEWING OF SAID TUBE TO SAID STRANDS AND SUBSEQUENTLY CUTTING THE TAPE AND THE LEAD YARN EXTENDING BETWEEN EACH SWAB BODY. 